UNITED NATIONS, Feb 3 (APP): More than 1 billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of hearing loss due to the unsafe use of personal audio devices such as smartphones and exposure to damaging levels of sound, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to devote International Ear Care Day tomorrow to “Making Listening Safe”.

Resolution of Gaza crisis key to achieving Mideast peace: UN envoy -

UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (APP): Peace in the Middle East hinges on resolving the ongoing crisis in Gaza, where reconstruction efforts are faltering and the blockade continues, the U.N.’s Special Coordinator for the Middle East Process, Robert Serry, said Monday.

SANDAI CITY (Japan) March 2 (APP): The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Editor of Kahoku Shimpo Publishing Takada Shinichi said that Japanese media was enjoying complete freedom.

Obama to host Afghan president on March 24 -

WASHINGTON, Feb 28 (APP): President Barack Obama will host Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Officer Abdullah, and key members of their unity government for meetings and a working lunch at the White House on March 24.

Women must be at the decision-making table at all levels: UN chief -

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 28 (APP): The world must unite to end violence and discrimination against women and girls, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged at a high-level event in Chile on women and decision-making Friday, citing that progress over the past two decades has been made slow and uneven.

ISLAMABAD,
March 3 (APP): Olympian Mohammad Karim of Pakistan has beaten his
Indian opponent Mohammad Arif in the giant slalom event of Asian Alpine
Ski Championship 2015, being held in Yongpyong, South Korea.

US wants Pakistan-India dialogue, urges Pakistan, India, Afghanistan to work constructively together

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WASHINGTON, Oct 1 (APP): Stressing linkages between
Pakistan, India and Afghanistan with regard to durable peace and stability in
South Asia, the United States on Wednesday said it encourages dialogue between
Islamabad and New Delhi for developing a stable bilateral relationship. Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip J
Crowley said the U.S. is focused on the region and “understands clearly the
importance of Afghanistan, the importance of Pakistan, the importance of India,
and the interaction among those countries.”

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He said the U.S. wants all these countries to work
“constructively together.”

“This is kind of an inseparable you can’t look at peace and
stability in South Asia without understanding the vitally important role played
by all of these three countries and, obviously, the surrounding republics in
Central Asia as well,” he said in response to a question at the daily State
Department briefing.

Continuing, Crowley said, “it’s one of the reasons why we
changed our strategic focus, that you could not look at these countries in
isolation.”

Washington, he emphasized, has close ties with both
Pakistan and India and “certainly encourages a dialogue India and Pakistan, two
very important countries to the United States.”

“We have a strategic relationship that is emerging with
India. We have a vitally important relationship with Pakistan, are working hard
to help Pakistan address the issue of extremism within its borders, and we are
likewise very concerned about the cross-border activity between Pakistan and
Afghanistan.”

The U.S., he said, has talked with both Islamabad and New
Delhi on their bilateral relationship.

“And clearly, we have had discussions with both Pakistan
and India on their relationship and how that affects the ability of any of these
countries to address the challenges that exist within their respective borders.

So we recognize the importance of the Pakistan-Afghanistan
border. We recognize the vital importance of a stable relationship between
Pakistan and India, and we continue to encourage all of these countries to work
constructively together,” the Assistant Secretary observed.

Crowley was responding to a question when his attention was
drawn to the impression that the U.S. was heavily focused on the Afghan border
but not on the Indian side and Kashmir while an article in the New York Times
implied that the militants could blow up the whole region.

The spokesman spoke days after Pakistani Foreign Minister
Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Indian counterpart S M Krishna met on the margins
of UN General Assembly session in New York. The top diplomats of the two South
Asian nuclear powers agreed on the need to have good neighborly relations but
did set no timeframe for resumption of the dialogue process, stalled since late
last year’s Mumbai attacks, blamed on Pakistan-based militats.

“We certainly have encouraged and continue to encourage
Pakistan to fully investigate the Mumbai attacks, and even more importantly,
bring those responsible before their judicial system,” he said in reply to
another question.